Photosynthesis
by sylamesio123
Summary: Bella loves to volunteer at the local nursery for plants.Then Edward comes but just because he has to serve 700 hours of community service.But underneath Bella's perfect surface her and her family are hiding something.Can she trust Edward with her secret?
1. My life

_**Photosynthesis**_

A Twilight Fanfic

By Sylamesio123

Bella has always loved working in the local nursery for plants. She volunteers there daily. What happens when Edward Cullen is sent to work there also, but because he has to serve 700 hours of community service? Will they find love, and will Edward find that he can trust someone other than himself and let Bella in? And will Bella be able to tell Edward the secret her family has to keep hidden? ALL HUMAN

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Chapter 1. My life

BPOV

"Bella, dear, don't forget you twenty dollars." Mrs. Keebly called after me as I headed for my Chevy truck. I sighed and turned around, smiling at her small body as it ran toward me.

"How many times do I have to _tell _you?" I said, laughing, "I am just volunteering, I don't _want _to be given money."

She just ignored me and rolled her eyes. She finally reached me, that wrinkled old woman, and she grabbed my hand. I put my hand in a fist, but she was strong for and old lady and she pried it open, and placed the twenty dollar bill square in my palm.

I sighed playfully and turned to get into my car, "Thank you for the money." I said over my back. I could almost feel her large smile spread across her face as I started my truck.

Suddenly I got this sick feeling in my stomach as I got to the street on which I lived. For it was not the street that made me sick to my stomach, but seeing my uncle's car in the driveway sure did the trick.

About four years ago I moved in with my aunt and uncle when my parents died. They had three kids: Jasper, Emmett, and Alice. Emmett was seventeen along with Alice. Jasper was sixteen, and I was the youngest; I was fifteen. I loved my cousins and my aunt very much. My uncle was a different story.

I parked a block away from the small two-story house on purpose, thinking that I could maybe sneak in without my uncle seeing me and get up to my room.

I walked down the street as slowly as possible, thinking that maybe if my uncle had one last sip of his beer he would pass out before I got home. I looked over in the street across from my house to find that Alice was also home, probably already with my uncle, him doing what he did. I sighed, thinking of Alice crouched in the corner of the laundry room, pure horror on her face as her father neared her. That was how it was this morning, the last time I had seen her. I was five o' clock now, and my aunt wouldn't be home for two hours, giving my uncle plenty of time to do what he did to me.

I also noticed that Emmett or Jasper's car wasn't in the driveway or on the street, I sighed, missing them already.

All too soon I neared the house, and then after a moment the front door. I reached in my purse and fumbled for my key, and then realized it must have been in my school backpack. I took the bag off of my back, and unzipped the front pocket. But before I could even find the key and enter it into the lock the door opened.

I looked up to find Alice looking at me, a purple ring surrounding her left eye. I gasped and stood up immediately and went to examine her, my fingertips softly touching her face. She closed her eyes as a tear slid down her cheek and landed on my shoulder as I hugged her tightly. Then I heard a loud bang coming from the living room.

"Get upstairs." I commanded her. Her eyes widened and she stared at me, not moving an inch as she shook her head. "Alice, I don't have time to argue." I said as I heard footsteps coming from the hallway that lead from the living room to the kitchen and then to the walkway, where Alice and I now stood.

I softly shut the door, leaving my purse and backpack outside. "Bella, but you are so young." She was right, I was two years younger than her, but I had been through so much. I felt as if I was so much older. She pleaded with me to go upstairs, but I refused. I didn't want to watch her get hurt like I had that morning.

Then I heard my uncle's footsteps getting louder, so near to us. I sighed angrily and glared at her. Finally she ran up the stairs faster than I could have possibly moved. She was much more athletic than I was. If only my uncle would let her stay out later than three-thirty to go to track practice, something Alice loved to do more than anything in the world.

Finally Uncle Zachary rounded the corner, his eyes only focused on me. I closed my own eyes and imagined happy things, like plants and getting away from this house. I could hear Alice's bedroom—well the bedroom that we shared—door slam. My eyes shot open at the sudden burst of sound. My uncle didn't even flinch as he heard the noise.

There was a beer bottle in his hand, not a surprise to me, yet I still flinched. As he smirked I felt I shiver shoot down my spine. I hands and legs were shaking with every step he took near me.

"Hey, little girl, are you ready to party?" I gasped as he dropped the bottle on the ground as the glass broke on contact with the wood floor. I clamped my hands together, something I did whenever I got nervous.

Then he suddenly jumped forward and pinned my shoulders against the door. To my surprise no tears came. I must have been completely dried out. I had done enough crying because of this for one lifetime.

I looked up at the ceiling, not wanting to watch, as his hands felt every inch of my body. I gasped when he squeezed my butt. He clamped his hand over my mouth and I cried out in pain as his fingernails scraped under my shirt and into my back. I felt blood drip out of the scratches, and it stung like hell, but still no tears came.

He lifted my shirt off of me and squeezed my breasts with both hands, and I gasped once again. Then I heard a loud knock on the door, saving me from my uncle going any farther like he had just two nights before. . Uncle Zachery quickly let go of me and pushed me to the ground, "Get upstairs, bitch." He whispered as he opened the door. I made my way up the stairs but I stopped to see who it was at the top, eavesdropping.

There, in the doorway, stood my angel. Also know as Emmett Cullen. He looked so beautiful, standing there rescuing me. He glared at my uncle and walked right past him, at least a foot taller than my uncle. He came up the stairs, still frowning. He didn't always used to be this way, angry and depressed all of the time. He used to never be serious; he was always telling a joke. But I hadn't heard anything funny come out of his mouth since I moved in, since my uncle started the beatings…and the raping.

I got up as quickly as I could and ran into Alice and my room, shutting the door softly behind me.

I looked over at Alice's side of the room to see her glowering at a picture of her mother—and my aunt—that stood on her nightstand. "I hate her. She won't tell anyone what he does to her…and us." She suddenly said as I sat on my bed opposite of hers. I cocked my head to the side a little bit. I don't see how anyone could hate my Aunt Esme, she was so amazing, despite all she had been through. Ever since my uncle had thought she had an affair with her Doctor, Carlisle Cullen, she had gotten beaten along with us. Though I didn't understand why she wouldn't tell, I still couldn't ever hate her.

I didn't blame her for not telling. Alice didn't understand that any one of us could tell: Jasper, Emmett, her, or even me. I was too scared to say anything. What if it didn't go well and the police didn't believe us? The abuse would get even worse and he could end up severely injuring us, if not killing us.

I sighed as Emmett came into the room and I instinctively reached for the bat that laid by my bed side. He lifted his hand, the frown never leaving his face, and I put the bat down.

"Are you both okay?" He asked softly as he sat next to Alice.

"She got the worst. I only got a punch in the face. She _always _gets the worst." Alice whispered, thinking I couldn't hear her. Her voice was much louder than she thought.

Emmett's eyes narrowed as he realized that I was shirtless. He cocked his head to the side and pain came into his eyes as his eyes traveled down my body, seeing the bruises that covered my arms and legs.

"He barely did anything to me. It was nothing compared to what he usually does. Thank you for that, Emmett." I smiled at him, but he did not return anything. He sighed. He didn't believe that I had gotten off easy, though I had. "Emmett, I mean, look at how he makes Alice dress. She got the worst." I tried to convince him as Alice tried to cover he almost bear chest. The shirt her father made her wear was barely a shirt at all.

"Bella," Alice said, her voice hard. She wasn't convinced either.

"I'm serious," Then suddenly something shot through me and I was suddenly sobbing, the tears I had saved up pouring freely, "_She _she she g-got the w-worst." I sobbed as Emmett came over to my bed and sat beside me. He wrapped his arms around me and smoothed my hair as I cried from the pain. My whole body ached and I needed to sleep to get away from this horrible world.

As if God himself had answered my prayers I immediately fell asleep in Emmett's arms, escaping finally. Or at least until morning…

A/N: Like it? Review!


	2. Selfless

_**Photosynthesis **_

A Twilight Fanfic

By sylamesio123

A/N: Wow, I got a really good response to this, so I am updating as quickly as possible. Keep the reviews coming!

Also, as one of my reviewers pointed out, I put Dr. Carlisle Cullen and Emmett Cullen. That was confusing, I know, so I am changing Emmett's last name to Hale. Okay. And I know that Jasper and Alice are together usually, but I'm a rebel so now they are siblings.

Disclaimer: Hmmmm…let me look in the mirror…no…I was right…I'm not Stephenie Meyer. Freaking mirror.

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Chapter 2. Selfless

I woke up to rain again, but for the first time I was warm and not afraid when I woke out of my dreams.

Emmett had fallen asleep also, and his big arms held me in place like an important item he couldn't let anyone else touch. I sighed and just stared out the window for a while.

I shook Emmett awake after a while, and it took him a minute to realize where he was and let me go free. It wasn't a bit awkward being shirtless with Emmett; he was too much of an angel to be nervous around him.

"Emmett, I need to get to school." I said, knowing that he would have to be the one to drive me. Alice didn't bother going to school anymore, she had dropped out when she was fifteen, but I liked school, it turned my mind off of other things.

You couldn't tell by just looking at me what I was going through. I seemed perfect, fine, on the outside, like nothing could touch me. But on the inside, I felt like one little touch to my ever so fragile body would make me shatter into a million pieces. I was broken inside, but I had to hide it.

"Do you think _he _is up yet?" He said, not really a question. We both knew that he was up, and we wouldn't be able to sneak past him, or at least I wouldn't be able to.

"Just go out to the car, I'll be out when is done with me." I said flatly. His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched as he irrevocably shook his head no.

I did the same, but I nodded and glared at him. "It really _isn't _a big deal. He never does anything too bad in the morning." This was a lie, made to comfort and protect Emmett. The last time Emmett had faced his father he was stabbed in the arm and was forced to lie to the hospital about how it happened.

"Bella, please—" Emmett tried to protest but I raised my hand and closed my eyes, not letting the discussion go any further.

"—it is five o' clock in the morning. School doesn't start until seven. It won't take that long, now _go_." He finally agreed and snuck out the window. I would have gone out that way too, but my uncle would have done worse things that night if he hadn't seen me that morning.

I quickly put on some skinny jeans and a tight cami, stuffing an extra shirt and bra in my backpack just incase my uncle took them off and I didn't have the chance to get another one.

I kissed Alice—who was still asleep, lucky her—lightly on the forehead, "Good luck." I whispered, though I knew that she was deeply asleep and couldn't hear a word I said.

I walked down the wooden steps slowly, trying not to make them squeak, but of course I mad the bottom step creek when I put too much weight on it. I heard a bottle drop and footsteps coming toward me. I quickly headed for the door, so that when he attacked me I could be close to an exit. I heard Emmett's truck purring almost too soft to hear outside on the street, but as my uncle came into sight he didn't seem to even notice the sound.

"Hey, I hope you didn't sleep well." He was only a few inches away from my face now and as he slurred the words I could smell all of the alcohol in his breath.

I closed my eyes and leaned against the door which was to my disappointment, locked. I also found that it was not a good idea to try to unlock the door. My uncle smacked my across the face and I fell to the ground.

I felt blood drip into my mouth and after a moment the pain set in and I screamed out in pain. I'm sure Emmett could have heard me. He took a last sip of the beer in his hand and let that one fall to the ground also. But this time, when it broke he picked up a piece of glass about the size of a golf ball.

I clenched my jaw, trying to block out the searing pain as he slashed from my wrist to my elbow with the glass. I couldn't hold it any longer, I screamed out in pain once more. Then threw the glass on the ground and to my surprise he unzipped his pants. He never went this far in the morning.

"No," I begged; even to me my voice sounded small, "please _don't_." But he didn't listen to my pleas as he turned my over on my backside and pulled down my jeans and panties. Then, like a fucking miracle, Alice came racing down the stairs.

My uncle got up and headed toward her. She paid no attention to him as she mouthed the words, _Get out, now. _For once I didn't argue with her as I finally, after lots of struggling, pulled up my pants and unlocked the door.

I ran faster than I ever thought possible to Emmett's truck. He was asleep at the wheel and I sighed, and shook him awake once I had gotten into the passenger seat. "Go, Emmett, we _need _to get _out _of here."

He didn't say a word as he obeyed and sped off the street and out of the neighborhood, leaving those horrid things behind, though the image was still very much alive in my head.

EPOV

"Edward, get up, now. You need to get up for school." I heard my father's voice in my ear as I groaned.

"Fine." I finally agreed after him threatening to take my cell phone away. I was surprised he hadn't already taken it away, especially after what had happened the week before.

All I knew was that I _didn't _steal that yacht alone. I should have confessed that Jasper Hale, my best friend, had done it with me, but that would have been un-loyal. Anyway, they were supposed to call me at four to tell me where i would be doing my hours.

I quickly got dressed and hurried to take a shower before driving to school. On my way into the parking lot I saw the Emmett Hale and Bella Swan getting out of their car. Bella was a sophomore and Emmett was a senior. I was in between, I was a junior. I did have one class with Bella, she was very smart. We both had AP biology together. She was _so _smart that she took _junior_ AP classes. It was kind of scary to have a girl a year younger than you be so much smarter than you.

I wasn't at all surprised when Bella came out of the car with a huge bruise on her face. She was really clumsy and almost always had bruises. Anyone else and you would have thought they were abused, but this girl was fucking perfect—and we had all seen her trip so very many times. I mean, she got strait A's, she was in blue buds—where you hang with troubled children, she was secretary for student council, and above all else she was amazingly nice.

Her cousin, Emmett, was pretty much the exact opposite. He was a really funny person, and didn't do anything nice outside of school like Bella did. He was an amazing football player and didn't even bother getting involved with student council.

Then there was Jasper, Emmett's brother and Bella's cousin. He was a bad boy just like me, really messed up and depressed. He could write songs like a maniac and was really nice…once you got to know him. He really cared about his family and Bella especially for some reason I couldn't imagine. He was always super protective of her for some reason.

I never told Jasper this, but I really got annoyed with Bella Swan. I just really hated perfect people, which was why I didn't get along with my sister, Rosalie, who just happened to be best friends with Bella, and Alice, Bella's cousin and other best friend. But Alice had dropped out two years before, which was still a mystery to everyone but her family. Even Rosalie didn't know what happened to her.

Suddenly I felt my butt vibrating and jumped right out of my seat. Thankfully I had already parked. Then I realized that it was just my phone.

I pulled it out and it read _Jasper _

I flipped it open and moaned, "Hello?"

"Hey, man I can't come to school today." I opened my mouth to ask why, but as if he was psychic he said, "I can't explain right now, I don't have time. I just needed to ask you if Bella is there."

My eyebrows arched in confusion my I answered immediately, knowing he was not in a patient mood, "Um, yeah, man. I just saw her go inside with Emmett." I told him truthfully.

He took less than a second to process it, "Did she have and cuts, bruises."

I thought back and then remembered that beside the bruise on her face she also had a gash on her arm, something that probably needed stitches and should have been checked out, it looked fresh and might get infected. "She had a huge bruise on her face, and a huge fresh gash on her arm." I didn't want to worry him to I added, "But you know how clumsy she—"

"_Fuck_." He gasped into the phone, "Bye, man, I have to go."

Before I had the chance to say anything the line went dead.


	3. There is nothing wrong with me

Photosynthesis

_**Photosynthesis**_

A Twilight Fanfic

By sylamesio123

A/N: I love you all for reviewing. Okay can I get twenty reviews? PLEASE! C'mon, I know you can do it.

Chapter 3. There is nothing wrong with me

BPOV

"Isabella!" I jumped up in my seat to see my Biology teacher glaring at me. What was he so excited about? Oh yeah, I had fallen asleep. I forgot that offended the teachers usually.

"Yes sir?" I answered like the goody-goody I pretended to be. I sighed silently as I looked out of the corner of my eye to see that almost all the kids in my class were staring at me.

"I asked you a question, and then called your name numerous times. You wouldn't wake up." He scolded me. I imagined it would have been much worse had I not been his best student.

"I'm sorry sir. I didn't really get any sleep." I said as I fake yawned rather convincingly. His face seemed to soften and he nodded his head. He then asked the question to another student, and I still didn't even hear it.

I sighed, disappointed in myself for being so careless. I quickly took out my notebook and took vigorous notes, making sure I wrote down every little detail.

When I took my notes, pressing hard onto the notebook paper, I felt Edward Cullen's gaze boring into my back. He didn't take his eyes off of me the whole time. And when the teacher dismissed the class, I couldn't help but notice that his paper held nothing at all. He had forgotten to take notes, which he always, always did.

When I was walking out the doorway, books in hand, I heard my teacher call my name, "Bella, please stay for a moment." I cursed under my breath and turned around and went to stand in front of him while he sat on the front of his desk.

He waited until all the students were gone before he talked. "Bella, you didn't seem yourself today." He seemed more concerned than mad.

"I know." I admitted, "I feel fine, I just didn't sleep at all." That was a lie. I slept absolutely all night, it just wasn't pleasant. I had constant nightmares of getting…raped…by my uncle.

"Is there something wrong with you?" I'm sure he didn't mean it in an offensive way, but it really pissed me off. I was just really moody after what had happened that morning.

"What do you mean 'is there something wrong with you'?! I am _perfectly _fine. And I am _sorry _that I fell asleep, but I just really don't like sitting through the most boring class _ever_. God, I hate that everyone thinks I need help. _I don't need help_! I don't need _fucking _help!" I screamed and then ran out the door, dropping my books as I ran down the hallway.

Everyone was staring at me as the tears strolled down my face like waterfalls. I wiped my eyes constantly and no matter how fast I ran, I was fairly sure they could all tell I was sobbing myself dry.

I ran out to the front of the school to where a large tree stood. I sat under it, the leaves blowing in the wind took my mind off my horrid life.

I was so busy trying to not think that I didn't notice Edward Cullen, the local bad boy and best friends with my cousin Jasper, walking up to me, my books in his hands.

"Are you…alright?" He asked as he awkwardly and hesitantly sat down next to me. He put my books in front of me and I looked down at them, careful not to look in Edward's eyes.

I nodded and he sighed, "No offence, but there _has _to be _something _wrong. I mean, most of the time the best student doesn't say fuck to a teacher, while yelling at him I add." I looked up to see him smiling, the only trace of pain in his eyes.

I laughed softly and looked up into his eyes for the first time. They were a striking green, something I had never seen before.

"Look," He said, looking awkwardly into space, "I know that we haven't really been getting along these last couple years, but I was wondering…if you would like to be friends."

I swear I almost fainted. Edward Cullen was asking _me _to be his friend. He only had a couple friends that he actually liked, the other's were preppy girls longing for some hot trouble or sex, which Edward rarely gave in to. I had seen him say no plenty of times.

"I'd like that." I blurted out. "But only if you _stay _my friend. Don't, like, ditch me tomorrow." I smiled, though I was very serious.

The sides of his lips rose. "I promise that I will be your friend until the day you die." He said. I was so confused at why he wanted to be my friend suddenly, not my enemy. But I was too happy to fret.

_Until the day you die_. He had said. Neither of us knew that we had so little time left.

A/N: Sorry for the shortness, but it's better than nothing. Right?

Review please.


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